Automatic electric train-line coupling.



I l. R. BROWN.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC TRAIN LINE COUPLING.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAR. 3|. I914.

Patented Oct. 3, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

HIIIII WITH/E8858 [MENTOR T. R. BROWN.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC TRAIN LINE COUPLING.

' APPLICATION FILED MAR- 31, IBM.

Patented 0m, 3,1916.

4 SHEETS SHEET Z- WITNESSES I A/IVVE/VOR I T. R. B ROWN. AUTOMATICELECTRIC TRAIN LINE COUPLING.

APPLICATICN FILED MAR. 31, 1914.

Patented Oct. 3,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

awm I.

\w m@ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\u MP I Km 1.11. BROWN. AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC TRAINLINE' COUPLING.

APPLICATION H LED MAR- 3], I914.

Patented (101. 3, 1916.

4 SHEET$$HEET 4 III/- WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OF C THOMAS 3.BROWN, or SPARKILL, NEW Yonxfnssrqnon 'ro THE WESTI1\TGH,0USE AIR- 1BRAKE COMPANY, OF WILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPQRATION OF PENN-SYLVAN IA.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS R. Brown, a citizen of the United States, andaresident of Spa'rkilLin the county of Rockland and State of New York,have invented a certain newand useful Improvement in Automatic ElectricTrain-Line Couplings, of which improvement the following is aspecification. 1

This invention relates to mechanism for automatically coupling theelectric train line circuits'between the cars or other vehicles of atrain, and more particularly to that nected to the respective'train linecircuits,

type of electric coupler in which each counterpart coupling head isprovided with a a plurality of fixed'contacts. or fingers conandamovable contact carrier, one of said carriers being 'adapted to beprojected from one coupler head to the other and electrically connectthe corresponding-contact fingers of the two* couplers when the samecome together.

The principal object of my present invention is to provide an improvedcoupling device of this type, and in which theoperation of the movingparts is determined by the action of springs and other mechanical con- 1nections operating automatically upon the coming together of thecounter-part couplers of. adjacent cars to project one of said carriers.

Another object is to provide improved mechanism for automaticallyopening and closing the doors or shutters controlling the opening. atthe front end of the couplercasing, through which the contactcarriers'or slides are projected; and still another object is to provideimproved fluid pressure means for releasing-the couplers andrestoringthe parts to normal position.

' In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a horizontal section of acoupler head,

embodying my iinprovement; Fig. 2 a long1- tudinal vertical sectiontaken on the line .2 I taken on thelline 3-..3of Fig; 1; .Fig. '4, a

*transverse section near the front end of the coupler and showing thedoors-or shuttersin elevation; Fig. 5, a detail View showing one r ofthe rings'and arms for operating the shutters; Fig. "6, a detaiLview ofthe end of,

' the plunger and the surrounding bushing on I which the rings arenounted; and Fig. 7, a

diagrammatic view, partly in planand Specification of Letters Patent.Application filed March 31, 1914. Serial No. 828,466.

v coupling device comprises a casing, 41',

which may be suspended. beneath the draw a 'a construction is set forthin the ig; 1; Fig. 3', a transverse section AUTOMATIC ELECTRICTRAIN-11411115 COUPLING.

Patented Oct. 3, 1916.

partly in section, showing a pair of couplers connected together,andillus'trating-a modil I fication. I

As'shown in the drawings, the electric bar, carcoupler or other supportat the end of the car in such position'as'to engage a counterpartcouplingdevice on an adjacent car, and is particularly adapted for use1n connection with a cart coupler of the socalled. rigid lock type, suchas indicated in Fig. 7 for instance, in which .each counter part couplerhead,- 12, is provided with a hook shaped projection, 14, having avertical plane surface inclined at an angle to the line of draft,,-andadaptedto engage and interlock-with a corresponding surface on theprojection of a counterpart coupler by relative lateral movement whensaid couplers come. together in the act of coupling. Each coupler headis also provided with .a ivoted lock, 16, adapted to bear against aocking surface, 17, on the outer side ofthe projec-. tion, 14, of thecounterpart coupler, and hold I the couplers securely clampedtogether'when in coupled position. 4 For the purpose of releasing thelock of theco'upler, fluid pressure means are provided, comprising acylindrical chamber formed in the coupler head and containing a piston,18, which is connected by a rod, 19,

with an arm of the pivoted lock, 16, a spring,

20, acting on the back of the piston. to

normally hold the lock in its locking position. .Fluid under pressure,such as compressed air, may beadmitted to the cylin der foractuating thepiston, 18, to compress the spring and turn the pivoted lock, 16, to itsreleasing position when it uncouple, and separatethe couplers. Such riorapplication of- James SL Doyle an Frank 'Hedley, filed March. 24, Y1913, 'S,erial No. 756,469. a

The casing, 41, containing the electric contact devices may be supportedbeneath the coupler head in any convenient manner, asby means of bolts,69, at or" near the outer end, and link, 65, and spring, 67, at the mid-5 (He of the rear portion, in such position that the adjacent ends ofthe twocasings of the counterpart couplers meet together when is desiredto the outer'end of the casing, and each connected with a correspondingwire of the nor a,

train line circuits. fingers, 45, may be employed for closing cer- Othersets of contact tain local circuits upon each car when in uncoupledposition. In order to' establish electrical connection between therespective contact fingers of the counterpart couplers, there is asliding contact carrier, 46, mount- .ed in the casing and having aplurality of sets of contact bars, 47 and 48, properly connected andadapted vto engage the sets of contact fingers, 43, of the adjacentcounterpart couplers when coupled together withone of the slidesextended into the casing of the other coupler, whereby the contacts ofthe movable carrier bridge over the space between the said sets ofcontact fingers, as indicated in Fig. 7, and establish the desiredelectrical connection. The contact bars, 47 and 48, at one side of thecenter line are preferably cross connected with the correspondingcontact bars on the opposite side of the center line.

According to one feature of my improvement, the contact carriersorslides are operated automatically by mechanical means when thecouplings are brought together, and for this purpose each coupling isprovided with a spring pressed plunger or tappet, 38, slidably mountedwithin the fixed bushing, 40, located in the middle portion of thecasing, the plunger bein tubular at its rear portion, and containing thespring, 35, which acts to normally extend the end of the plunger beyondthe front face of the casing, and in position to be. engaged by thecorresponding plunger of a counterpart coupling of an adjacent car. Amechanical trip mechanism isflemployed be tween the yielding plunger andthe slide for z actuating the same, and a own in Figs. 1, 2, and 3-,this mechan comprises a horizontal sector gear, 27, pivoted upon thepin, 28, within the casing, and carrying a pivot pin, 34, on which ispivoted a toggle arm, 29, provided with a T'head, 30, hearing againstthe follower, 31, of the spring, 35,.thepivot,of the toggle arm, 29,being axis"=5f the spring, 35, and when the parts are set in positionfor coupling. The sector gear, 27 meshes with the small pinion, 44,carried by the larger pinion, 49, which engagesthe rack, 50, on

rier, 46, which is mounted uponthe rollers 01'' balls, 58; supported onthe flanges, 42, of the casing. The projections at opposite sides of thehead, 30,01? the toggle arm, 29, extend into the respective slots, 31and 32, in the tubular plunger, 38, and one of said pro ections isadaptedto be engaged by the lly in line with the pin, 28, and theplunger, '38,.

messes plunger at the end of the slot when the plunger is forcedinwardly to a certain point.

When the two counterpart couplings are brought together in the act ofcoupling, the outer ends of the two plungers abut against each other,and both are forced inwardly compressing the springs, 35. As the springsand the friction of the parts is never exactly the same in any .twocouplers, it follows that one of the plungers will be forced inwardly asuflicient distance to engage the head of its toggle lever and trip thesame slightly before the other plunger, and as 'the compression of thespring is exerted in line with the toggle arm and pivot pins, 34

and 28,'there'is no movement of the gears until the toggle lever istilted by contact with the plunger at the end of slot, 32. This operatesto throw the pivot, 34, inward and out of line with the pivot, 28,whereupon the spring acts with increasing leverage to turn the sectorgear, 27, upon'its pivot, and through the connecting gears, 44,

49 and 50, project the slide, 46, through the with a quick positivemovement to the coupled up portion in which the contact fingers, 43, inone casing, engage the contacts, 47, on

the slide, and the contact fingers in the other casln engage thecontacts, 48, on the slide, there y establishing through connections forthe respective train line circuits. or the. purpose of cushioning thismove- 'ent of the slides, a piston or plunger, 52,

inay be mounted on the slide, 46, and opcrate in a cylinder, 53, formedwithin the casing, and having a small port, 54, at its inner end. As thepiston moves toward the end of the cylinder it compresses the airtherein, thus exerting a yielding resistance to the movement of theslide at the end of its stroke.

In order to release the coupling and withdraw the slide, I provide apiston, 24, having a stem, 26, adapted to, bear against the 'sectorgear, 27, and turn the same back. to the normal release position shownin Fig. 1, the-flange, 51, of the slide or contact carthe couplers areseparated, and this is 111- sured by having the piston, 24, control theport, 23, lead ng to the cylinderof the-unlocking piston, 18, of thecoupler in such a manner that whemfiuid, such as compressed air, isadmitted to the connection, 21, and,

passage, 22, the. piston, 24, moves out to actuate the sector gear, .28,and reset the 'same in its normal position, and thereby withdraw theprojected slide within its re spective casing. At the end of itsmovement, the piston uncovers the port or passage, 23, thereby admittingfluid therethrough to the unlocking piston,'-18, to release the couplerand perrmt the separation of the cars. In order that the devices forwithdrawing the slide and releasing the couplers may be operated fromeither car,

the passage, 22, may communicate with the corresponding passage in theother coupler v by means of connecting ports, 39, formed in the heads oftheabutting plungers, 38.

Various forms of mechanical connections between the plungers and thecontact carriers'may be employed.- According to the.

modification shown diagrammatically in Fig. 7, the toggle arm, 29, ispivoted tolong lever, 27*, mounted at one end on fiked fulcrum, 28 andconnected at its opposite "end to the contact carrier, or slide, 46, bymeans of a link, 27 In this construction, the piston, 24*, has a hollowrod. 24 cooperating with the push bar, 26*, connected to the lever, 27*,for withdrawing the slide, Ex- 'cept for the lever and link connectionin lieu of the sector gear, pinion and rack con nection,thisrmodification is similar in con struction and operation to that ofFigs. 1, 2, i and 3, already described, and will be readily understood.

Another feature of my improvement re lates to the doors or shutters forcovering the opening at the front of the casing, when the slide isWithdrawn within the casing,

for the purpose of excluding dust, dirt, andmoisture.

As shown in the drawings, I provide vertically sliding doors, 59 and 60,adapted to meet together upon a horizontal line at about the middle ofsaid opening when in closed position, and to slide vertically inopposite directions when moving to the open position; For'the'purposeof-- operating saiddoors automatically at the times of the comingtogether and of separatlon of the' counterpart couplers, various.

forms of mechanism controlled by the re-' ciprocating movement of theplungers may be employed, but a preferred construction comprises a pairof rings or yokes, Gland.

62, mounted to oscillate on the bushing, .40, and having the oppositelyextending arms, 61 and 6l?,'and 62 and 62 ,vi'espectively, connected attheir outer ends withthe respective doors, 59and 60, the shorter arms,

61 and 62*, being connected to the upper door, 59, by pin andislotconnections, and the longer arms, '61 and 62", being connected by therespective links or hangers,

A63 and 63,,-with the lower door, 60. The

yokes or rings, 61and'62, are provided with the respective pins orprojections, 61 and 62, extending through the vertical slots, 61? and62, in the bushing, 40,-.and into'the' diagonal slots, 61 and .62",respectively,"

formed in'the plunger,-38. As theslots, 61 and 62 are formed in planesat rightangles to the axisof the "plunger, while theslots, 61 and 62",are diagonal or inclined, as

. shown particularly in Figzfi', it'will be seen that the reciprocatingmovements of the "plunger withinthe bushing, will cause the yokes toscillate uponthe bushing in such a manner as toslide the doorsvertically to and from each other in closing'and opening.

By means of this construction, the operation of the doors is entirelyautomatic, since, when the couplers are brought together. and bothplungers are forced inwardly compressing both springs, this-movement,-operatesthrough the slots and yokes to ra1se the upper door and lowerthe bottom door thus opening the"apertures in both casings for theprojection of the slide, 46, to connect up the. electric train linecircuits asbefore described. Then'whenthe'couplers are released andpulled apart, the springs, 35, return the plungers'to the normal outerposition' therebyv again oscillating the'yokes, and moving the doors toclosed position. If

desired, an additional-tension spring, 55,

attached to the arms, 61 and 62*, may be employed for assisting in theclosing actlon. A shield or plate, 56, may be supported v I p 100.within the casing ,beneath'the gears, to

the combination of a I circuits, a. movable carrier having corre--sponding contact bars, a mechanical trip electrically connect thecorresponding contacts of counterpart couplings, and means operatingautomaticallyby the coming tomechanism'for projecting said carrier together of said couplings to actuate said trip mechanism. V

2. In a coupling, the combination ofa casing containing a plurality offixed contacts adapted to be connected toitrain line circuits, a movablecarrier having correspond- 7 ing contadt bars, a mechanical tripmechanism for projecting said carrier to electrically connect thecorresponding contacts of counterpart couplings, and a yielding plungeradapted to engage a corresponding plunger of a 'count erpart coupling,for aca p 'tuating said, trip mechanism.

3. In a coupling, the combination of a casing containinga plurality offixed contact's adapted to be connected to train line circuits, amovable carrier having corresponding contact bars, a spring-actuatedplunger adapted to engage a corresponding plunger of a counterpartcoupling, and a mechanical connection operated by said plunger forprojecting said carrier to eleccuits, a movable carrierhaving'correspondingcontact bars, a yielding plunger, a spring actingon'said plunger, a toggle arm'also acted upon by said spring, meansoperated by the movement of the plunger for tripipin'g said toggle arm,and mechanism actue ated thereby for projecting said carrier toelectrically connect the corresponding confluid pressure devicev forWithdrawing said tacts of the counterpart couplings.

5. In a coupling, the combination of a casing containing a plurality offixed contacts adapted to be connected to train line circuits, a movablecarrier having corresponding contact bars, a yielding plunger, a s ringacting on said plunger, a toggle arm a so acted upon by said spring,means 'operatedby the movement of the plunger'for tripping said togglearm, and gearing actu-z ated by said toggle arm for projecting saidcarrier.

6; In a coupling, the combination of a cas-. ing containing a pluralityof fixed contacts adapted to be connected to train line circuits, amovable carrier having correspond ing contact bars, a mechanical tripmecha- IllSIIl for projecting said carrier to electri cally connect thecorresponding contacts'of counterpart couplings, and means for resettingsaid trip mechanism and withdrawing said carrier. a v

7 In a coupling, the combination of a casing containing a plurality offixed contacts adapted to be connected to train line circuits, a movablecarrier having corresponding contact bars, a mechanical trip mechanismfor projecting said carrier to electri cally connect the correspondingcontacts of counterpart couplings, a yielding plunger for actuating saidtrip mechanism, and a carrier.

8. In a coupling, thecombinat'ion of a casing containing a plurality offixed contacts adapted to be connected to train line circuits, a movablecarrier having corresponding contact bars, a mechanical trip mechanlsmfor projecting said carrier to electriv movement of said casing havingcounterpart -couplings,-an d a operated piston for Withdrawing saidcarrier and resetting said tri'pmechanism.

pler head,"a movable lock, it fiuid' -pressure l I 9. In a coupling, thecombination of 213C011? devicefor releasing said lock, electrical con- Itacts adapted to be connected tofltrain line circuits, a movablecarrier-having; corre sponding contact bars, means for'projecting" saidcarrier to electrically"connect'fcorresponding contacts of counterpartcouplers, a

fluid pressure operated piston for with-drmv I ing said carrier, Pandaport controlled Thy said piston for supplying fluid to the unlockingdevice of the coupler.

10c In a coupling,-the combination of a casing having an opening andcontaining electrical contacts connected to train line circuits, amovable carrierhaving corresponding contact bars, mechanism for.projecting said carrier through said opening to ,electrlcally connectcorresponding contacts of counterpart couplers, a yielding plunger i 01actuating said mechanism, a door for said opening, and means .operatedby the movement ofsaid plunger for actuating said door.

11. In a coupling, the comb nation of a casing having an opening andcontaining electrical contacts adapted to be connected to "train linecircuits, a movable carrier having corresponding contact bars, mechanismfor projecting said {carrier through said opening to electricallyconnect corresponding contacts of counterpart couplers, a yieldingplunger for actuating said mechanism, a door for said 'openmg, a yokefor operating said door, and means operated by the plunger foroscillating v said yoke.

12. In a coupling, the combination of a an opening and containlngelectrical contacts adapted to be connected to train line circuits,'amovable carrier having corresponding contact bars, mechanism forprojecting said carrier through sa d opening to electrically connectcorresponding contacts of counterpart couplers, a yielding-plunger foractuating said mechan1sm, a pair of vertically movable doors for saidopening, apair of yokes mounted .to osc1llate and connected to saiddoors, and means operated by the movement of said plunger foroscillating said yokes.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. 3

THOMAS It. BROWN. Witnessesz' E. A. WRIon'r, A. S; FOWLER.

